Finger, hand and forearm developer

ABSTRACT

A hand exercising device having four independently adjustable spring actuated plungers within a casing for compression thereof by four fingers of a hand in which the compression impressed upon each plunger is adjustable to an indicated amount in accordance with the requirement of each finger.

Unite States Patent [19] Norman et al.

[ June 12, 1973 1 FINGER, HAND AND FOREARM DEVELOPER [76] Inventors: Donald Norman, 2340 Linwood Avenue, Fort Lee; Samuel Cherba,

735 Totowa Road, Totowa, both of NJ.

[22] Filed: Dec. 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 205,029

52 U.S.C1 272/67, 73 379 R, 84/465,

272/83 R, 272/010. 4, 272/DIG. 5 51 Int. Cl A63b 11/08 581 Field of Search 272/67, 68, 83 R,

272/DIG. 4, DIG. 5; 73/379 R, 380 R, 381; 84/465; 224/28 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,447,415 6/1969 Kime 84/465 3,144,251 8/1964 Gainey et a1 73/379 X 1,260,013 3/1918 Neats 72/379 X Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney-Leo C. Krazinski [57] ABSTRACT A hand exercising device having four independently adjustable spring actuated plungers within a casing for compression thereof by four fingers of a hand in which the compression impressed upon each plunger is adjustable to an indicated amount in accordance with the requirement of each finger.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures illli Ill A 3, 34 1'7 5' 737g; IQ 34 PATENTED 3. 738.651

INVENTORS DONALD NORMAN By SAMUEL CHERBH .EMCIW RTTQENEY .occur to one skilled in tha art FINGER, HAND AND FOREARM DEVELOPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a therapeutic device for excercising and at the same time rehabilitating muscles of the forearm and hand which muscles control movement and strength of the wrist, band and digits. This device is also of use in objective diagnosis as related to the condition of the muscles and their related tendons,

2. Description of Prior Art Heretofore, such devices were of the passive type, as the compressible ball type, and of the active type, as in US. Pats. No. 1,301,560 and No. 3,227,446, neither of which patents has individual adjustment of compression for each finger nor an indication of the amount of compression for each finger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a finger exercising device wherein the compression for each finger is adjustable individually and the amounts of compression indicated thereon.

Another object is to provide such a device which is simple, reliable and inexpensive.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which can be readily held in the palm of the user during manipulation thereof.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims and various advantages not referred to herein will upon employment of the invention in practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a finger exercising device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device with a portion partly broken away.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view ofa plunger showing ears thereon.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 on FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a casing 10, preferably of plastic and sectionalized into two parts 11 and 12, which are sealed together in a conventional manner following disposition of component parts therein. The casing accordingly forms a housing for four spaced hollow chambers 13 in each of which a hollow plunger 14 is mounted for reciprocal and rotary movement. Each plunger 14, which is hollow with a closed upper, concave surface 15, is provided at its outer, bottom wall with a pair of spaced ears 16 which are movable in an annular guideway 17 disposed in each chamber 13, the ears 16 preventing the plungers 14 from sliding upwardly out of the housin. Each chamber 13 has at its lower end an opening 18 and around its inner lower wall portion 19 a threaded surface 20 for mesh engagement with an exteriorly threaded insert 21 which has a bottom slot 22 for a purpose that will be described hereinafter. The insert 21, as shown, is hollow and includes a central, upstanding protuberance 23 in alignment with a central, depending protuberance 24 formed within the interior of the plunger 14. Around each protuberance and therebetween is placed a coiled spring 26 for exerting an upward force upon the plunger 14, the amount of force being dependent upon the position of the insert 21 within the chamber. For adjusting the position of the insert, so as to calibrate the spring 26, a tool, such as a scew driver (not shown) is inserted through the opening 18 and into the slot 22 and rotated as desired.

An elongated opening 27 is provided in both the front and rear centers ofeach chamber 13 for showing both the lower edge 28 of the plunger 14 and the upper edge 29 of the insert 21 and respective indicia 31, 32 are placed on the exterior surfaces of each chamber 13 for indicating the same. Friction ribs 33 are shown at the lower ends of the chambers for enabling a more positive grip of the device. Also, in order to hold the device in the palm of the hand more securely an apertured protuberance 34 is provided at each side of the casing 10 for connection to an elastic band 36 or the like.

The exercising device 10 is adapted for use with either hand, being universal, and does not require that it be reversed when changing from one hand to the other. The plungers 14, while shown of equal length, may be of different lengths and each plunger is designed to travel about 3!; of an inch at full depression. Also, as shown, each plunger is provided with a concave upper surface 15 for better placement of the finger and each plunger can be rotated in accordance with the desired placement of the finger.

In operation, the exercising device is placed in the palm of the hand with the elastic band 36 around the hand. The several digits of the hand to be exercised are placed on the concave surface 15 of each plunger 14, one digit per plunger, and then pressed or squeezed downwardly. If the fingers are placed so they point downwardly with their nail surfaces facing in a forward direction, as in typing or playing a piano, one set of muscles will be primarily exercised. If the fingers are placed with the first joints (opposite the nails) on the plungers, so that the nail surfaces are facing upwardly, as in resting the fingers flat on a horizontal surface, another set of muscles will be primarily exercised. Further, if the fingers are placed with the second joint on the plungers, allowing the fingers to more or less cup the plungers, a third set of muscles will be primarily exercised. Accordingly, a full range of exercise is provided for each individual finger, for the fingers in a group, and also for the entire hand and forearm muscles. Since the spring tension of each plunger can be singly increased or decreased by turning the threaded insert 21, the scope and range of the device can be greatly increased in that each finger, separately or collectively, may be exercised to the full extent of its individual capability.

The repeated pressing downward of each digit will strengthen the digits and also provide a degree of dexterity by having the user exercise each digit separately and in a variable order. By simple realignment of the device in the users hand, the thumb may also be exercised against any one individual plunger. For diagnostic purposes, the device allows a physician or therapist to detect weakness and or progress in any or all digits by examining at separate intervals of time the differences in pressure poundage indicated by the positions of the lower edges 28 of the plungers 14 and upper edges 29 of the inserts 21 with respect to the indicia 31 and 32, respectively.

- From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved device for exercising and or rehabilitating the muscles of the forearm and hand, as well as for objective diagnosis thereof.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An exercising device comprising, in combination, a casing having a plurality of spaced chambers, a hollow plunger having a closed, upper concave surface and an open lower end slidably disposed in each of said chambers for reciprocal and rotary movement, said upper concave surfaces being adapted for placement of fingers with their nail surfaces in a forward direction or facing upwardly depending on which muscles are to be exercised, a resilient element in each of said chambers having its upper end disposed in said hollow plunger and its lower end in a base of said chamber for urging said plunger outwardly from the chamber, adjustable means in each of said chambers for variably compressing said resilient element, said adjustable means including threads on an inner lower wall of each of said chambers and an exteriorly threaded, hollow insert in mesh engagement with each of said chamber threads, each of said hollow inserts having a transverse slot at its base and each of said chambers having an opening at its base for passage therethrough of a tool for mesh engagement with said slot, means on each chamber for indicating the positions of top of said adjustable insert and bottom of said plunger, and cooperative means in each of said chambers and on each of said plungers for permitting movement of said plunger within predetermined limits, said cooperative means including an annular guideway in each of said chambers and a pair of ears on each of said plungers.

2. An exercising device according to claim 1, wherein said casing includes an apertured protuberance at each end and an elastic element fastened at each end to said apertured protuberances for securement of the device to a users hand.

3. An exercising device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom outer surface of each of said chambers in-v cludes frictional knurls.

4. An exercising device according to claim 3, wherein said casing includes four of said spaced chambers. 

1. An exercising device comprising, in combination, a casing having a plurality of spaced chambers, a hollow plunger having a closed, upper concave surface and an open lower end slidably disposed in each of said chambers for reciprocal and rotary movement, said upper concave surfaces being adapted for placement of fingers with their nail surfaces in a forward direction or facing upwardly depending on which muscles are to be exercised, a resilient element in each of said chambers having its upper end disposed in said hollow plunger and its lower end in a base of said chamber for urging said plunger outwardly from the chamber, adjustable means in each of said chambers for variably compressing said resilient element, said adjustable means including threads on an inner lower wall of each of said chambers and an exteriorly threaded, hollow insert in mesh engagement with each of said chamber threads, each of said hollow inserts having a transverse slot at its base and each of said chambers having an opening at its base for passage therethrough of a tool for mesh engagement with said slot, means on each chamber for indicating the positions of top of said adjustable insert and bottom of said plunger, and cooperative means in each of said chambers and on each of said plungers for permitting movement of said plunger within predetermined limits, said cooperative means including an annular guideway in each of said chambers and a pair of ears on each of said plungers.
 2. An exercising device according to claim 1, wherein said casing includes an apertured protuberance at each end and an elastic element fastened at each end to said apertured protuberances for securement of the device to a user''s hand.
 3. An exercising device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom outer surface of each of said chambers includes frictional knurls.
 4. An exercising device according to claim 3, wherein said casing includes four of said spaced chambers. 